FEATURE
BUILDING IT IN
At 20 Manvers Street, an office
refurbishment scheme in the centre of Bath, Unitrunk’s innovative
RIS (Rapid Installation Systems) cable management solutions have been used as part of an electrical upgrade.
Electrical safety must be designed into any office refurbishment, including safe segregation of cables and neat installation to prevent slip and trip hazards or risk of tampering. At Manvers Street, not only have the systems provided an innovative approach to maximising available space and delivering a flexible internal layout, they have also ensured that cables can be safely concealed and segregated within the floor slab and the ceiling void.
Located within the Bath Conservation Area, the 20 Manvers Street refurbishment scheme has seen main contractor, Kier Construction, transform the existing concrete frame building into Grade A office space. The changes to the building were also designed to achieve an improved energy performance, with the electrical installation making a significant contribution to its sustainability.
“IT WAS ESSENTIAL THAT THE CABLE MANAGEMENT MET
CURRENT WIRING REGULATIONS.”
Bristol-based Priddy Engineering Services was contracted to deliver the Cat A electrical fit out, which did not include installation of any cabling as this would be completed by individual tenants during their Cat B fit out. Originally, Priddy Engineering Services had not been tasked with installing any new trunking either.
“Initially, new trunking wasn’t part of the shell contract,” said Matt Griffiths, Design Manager at Kier Construction. “There was existing trunking, however, when we inspected it, the legacy installation was not up to the latest standards.”
To ensure the safety of any future Cat B electrical fit out, it was essential that the cable management met current wiring regulations standards and offered the flexibility for safe installation of segregated power and data cables.
The resulting specification was for Unitrunk’s in-floor three-compartment trunking, which was installed within channels cut into the floor slab. This approach provided a robust solution, enabling the accommodation to be subdivided into independently serviced and metered office units, while avoiding the need for a raised access floor.
12
Electrical services at 20 Manvers Street are distributed from the landlord’s supply via a basement LV switch room and panel, which then takes the power infrastructure to each floor via central risers. Channels have been cut into the slab at each level to enable Unitrunk’s three- compartment trunking to be installed within the slab and screwed into place. The sections of trunking have then been sealed using a liquid screed that will hold it firmly in place and seal it flush to the floor level to create a flat floorplate with no trip hazards.
Levels one, two and three are essentially identical floorplates, with the basement split 50:50 between lettable floor space and plant areas, shower rooms and a bike store. The remodelled ground floor boasts the building reception and a showroom for a future tenant. On the new fourth floor it will be up to the tenant to fit their own busbar, floor track and floor boxes as required.
FUTUREPROOF CAPACITY Unitrunk’s pre-galvanised Uniklip RIS (Rapid Installation Systems) cable tray has been fitted in the building’s ceiling voids, with three separate systems to deliver safe separation of cables.
Dave Whitehead, supervisor at Priddy Engineering Services explained: “Fire alarm cabling runs in its own 75mm Uniklip cable tray, power has been laid in 225mm Uniklip cable tray and data cabling starts off on two 450mm Uniklip cable trays, before splitting off to serve perimeter areas.”
The floor trunking is only capable of accommodating a certain amount of data cabling, so this approach ensures additional cabling can be installed at ceiling level, avoiding any potentially-hazardous excess loading of the trunking.
FAST, SAFE & FLEXIBLE The time saved thanks to Unitrunk’s RIS system was instrumental in helping the electrical installation remain on programme, creating a building that is both safe and flexible.
www.unitrunk.co.uk www.tomorrowshs.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68